Archived: Ridgway House

Updated 28 July 2016

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection checked whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014

This inspection took place on 06 July 2016 and was unannounced. The inspection was undertaken by one inspector.

Prior to the inspection visit we gathered information from a number of sources. We looked at the information received about the service from notifications sent to the Care Quality Commission by the registered manager. We also spoke with the local authority commissioners, contracts officers and safeguarding team.

As part of this inspection we spent time with people who used the service talking with them and observing support, this helped us understand their experience of using the service. During our inspection, we observed how staff interacted and engaged with people who used the service during individual tasks and activities. We used the Short Observational Framework for Inspection (SOFI). SOFI is a way of observing care to help us understand the experience of people who could not talk with us.

We spoke with seven people who used the service and four relatives. In addition we spoke with seven staff members and this included the registered manager, the team leader, the chef and four care and support workers.

We reviewed the care records of six people who used the service to ensure they were reflective of people’s current needs. We also examined six staff files, the medication administration record sheets for 12 people, four weeks of the staff rota and other records relating to the management of the service such as staff training records and quality auditing records.

Updated 28 July 2016

This inspection took place on 06 July 2016 and was unannounced.

This was the second comprehensive inspection carried out at Ridgway House.

Ridgway House is registered to provide accommodation and support for 35 older people. On the day of our visit, there were 35 people living in the home, ranging from frail elderly to people living with dementia. At the time of the inspection there were 35 people using the service.

The service has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

Staff were trained in how to protect people from abuse and harm. They knew how to recognise signs of abuse and how to use the whistleblowing procedure. Risk assessments were centred on the needs of the individual and any potential risks to people had been identified. We saw that risk management plans had been completed to enable them to live as safely and independently as possible. There were sufficient numbers of staff to meet people’s needs and keep them safe. The provider had effective recruitment and selection procedures in place and carried out checks when they employed staff to help ensure people were safe

People had their medicines managed safely, and received their medicines in a way they chose and preferred. The registered manager and staff had given much consideration about how they could support and encourage people to manage their medicines safely.

Staff were well trained and aspects of training were used regularly when planning care and supporting people with their care and support needs. People told us and records confirmed that all of the staff received regular training in mandatory subjects. In addition, we saw that specialist training specific to the needs of people using the service had been completed. This had provided staff with the knowledge and skills to meet people’s needs in an effective and individualised way.

Staff sought people's consent to care and treatment which was in line with current legislation. People were supported to eat and drink sufficient amounts to ensure their dietary needs were met. Staff supported people to attend healthcare appointments and liaised with their GP and other healthcare professionals as required.

The staff team were passionate about providing a service that placed people and their families at the very heart of their care. We found a progressive, caring and highly positive atmosphere throughout the service and within the delivery of care provided by staff. Without exception, people and relatives praised the staff for their caring, compassionate and professional approach. Everyone we spoke with said that staff went over and beyond what was expected of them and they were like family.

People received care that was responsive to their needs and centred on them as individuals. Their needs were assessed and care plans gave clear guidance on how they were to be supported. Records showed that people and their relatives were involved in the assessment process and review of their care. A wide and varied range of activities was on offer for people to participate in if they wished. The service had an effective complaints procedure in place and we saw appropriate systems for responding to any complaints the service received. Staff were responsive to people’s worries, anxieties and concerns and acted promptly to resolve them.

Systems were in place which continuously assessed and monitored the quality of the service, including obtaining feedback from people who used the service and their relatives. Records showed that systems for recording and managing complaints, safeguarding concerns and incidents and accidents were managed well. The registered manager took steps to learn from such events and put measures in place which meant lessons were learnt and they were less likely to happen again.

Staff enjoyed working at the service and felt well supported in their roles. They told us the registered manager was an excellent role model and there were systems in place to develop staff and promote reflective practice. There was a culture of openness and inclusion at the service and we found a caring and positive atmosphere amongst the staff team. This was reflected in the way staff supported people and each other. Quality monitoring systems and processes were used robustly to make positive changes, drive future improvement.